Nekrophile Melancholie 1989

This painting, Nekrophile Melancholie, by Siegfried Zademack, is made with smooth gradients of oil. I can only imagine Zademack in the process of slowly building up thin layers of paint. The palette is muted, almost ghostly: lavenders, browns, and creams. You can see how light glimmers on the water, and that melancholic figure at the center—leaning against a mannequin. What do you think she’s thinking? Maybe she’s lost in a deep sadness, contemplating the vastness of life and loss, the weight of existence, or maybe she’s just tired. I find it fascinating how Zademack, through his art, engages in a visual conversation with the Old Masters. He's exploring their themes of mortality and introspection but with a surreal, dreamlike sensibility. It’s as if he’s building upon their legacy, adding his unique voice to the ongoing dialogue of painting.